Are we ready to face earthquake?

Mostafijur Rahman Nasim: Earthquake is a buzzword now due to its recent destructive damages in the globe.

Himalayan Quake has been predicted for years. In the Himalayan belt, where an active Indian tectonic plate is said to be pushing up against the Tibetan tectonic plate at upwards of 4cm a year, considering a breakneck speed in geological terms.

On Wednesday (August 24), the powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.8 originating in Myanmar and felt throughout Bangladesh, needs to be a wake-up call for all of us.

While it is a relief that there were no casualties reported in this particular quake, grim reports of an earthquake that flattened a town in central Italy, killing nearly 250 people remind us of our own vulnerability in the face of future disasters.

A recent study published in the science journal Nature showed that Bangladesh could be sitting on top of an active megathrust fault. If ruptured, the resulting earthquake could be of magnitude 8.2 to 9.0.

The effects on Bangladesh of such an earthquake would be nothing if not catastrophic. The 2011 Japan earthquake of magnitude 9.0 was caused by the same type of geologic feature.

Recent studies have shown that this fault has a rich history of evident and not-so-evident quakes, and is ripe for another major one. Several Indian experts who have been researching for years in the region, warned that a natural calamity is long overdue.

Geographically, Bangladesh lies in earthquake prone areas as all tectonic plates in the regions are very close to the country. Bangladesh is located near the three active faults - Madhupur, Dawki and Himalayan faults, which are deepening its quake vulnerability.

As several consecutive tremors hit Nepal leaving around 7000 people dead, earthquake experts apprehend that an unprecedented human disaster may occur in Bangladesh.  

No strong tremor occurred in this region since 1950. The country was shaken by seven major earthquakes - Cachar earthquake of 7.5 magnitude in 1869, Bengal earthquake of 7 magnitude in 1885, great Indian earthquake of 8.7 magnitude, Srimangal earthquake of 7.6 in 1918, Dhubri earthquake of 7.1 in 1930, Bihar-Nepal earthquake of 8.3 magnitude in 1934 and Assam earthquake of 8.5 magnitude in 1950.

According to the experts, a powerful earthquake needs at least 100-150 years to be originated for a particular region and in that sense it is overdue for Bangladesh and parts of Assam, as 112 years have passed by since a heavy tremor from Dawki Fault hit the region.

To worsen the problem, there is no way to tell for sure when the earthquake may hit us.

Given this uncertainly, it is imperative that the government starts preparing for disaster without any delay. Although our flood relief infrastructure has come a long way, we are still woefully inadequate when it comes to earthquake preparation.

Rescue agencies have been suffering from crises of funding, and because of that, volunteers have not received the necessary training.

But there can be no cutting corners when it comes to earthquake safety. The nation must be prepared on all fronts. We need to make sure that relief can reach people trapped under debris on time in case of the unthinkable.

The authority concerned should take the issue seriously to ease the damages.

risingbd/Dhaka/Aug 29, 2016/Nasim